Today two soups that are satisfying, comforting and always hit the spot.

Leeks are sometimes talked of as the poor man’s asparagus. I love them and was interested to see on a trip to France a while back that leeks are one of the first vegetables served to young children.

You can’t beat the French passion for interesting and nutritious family food. This soup freezes well and if you want a vegetarian version just leave out the lardons and use vegetable stock.

You can also serve this potato leek and bacon soup chilled, garnished with crumbled Roquefort cheese for a special treat.

The sweet potato soup with the coconut milk, lemongrass and chilli has a nice Asian feel. Instead of the sweet potatoes you could use butternut squash or pumpkins which are coming into season. Or carrots would be good any time.

Coconut milk has to be one of my favourite ingredients. It makes a fantastic creamy base for all the other robust flavours.

I have been very happily busy these last few weeks filming my Greenway Food Trails for RTÉ. There is so much about Irish food to celebrate and I am having a wonderful time.

Happy cooking,

Neven

Potato, leek and bacon soup

Serves 4–6

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

100g (4oz) smoked bacon lardons

3 small leeks, trimmed and finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

900ml (1½ pints) chicken or vegetable stock

100ml (3½fl oz) milk

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

crème fraîche, to serve

snipped fresh chives, to garnish

1 Heat the oil in a large pan and tip in the onion, potatoes and bacon. Cook for 5 minutes, until the bacon has crisped up slightly, stirring constantly.

2 Add the leeks and thyme and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables have softened but not coloured and the bacon is nice and crispy.

3 Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat.

4 Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes, until slightly reduced and all the vegetables are completely tender.

5 Blitz the soup with a hand blender, then pour in the milk. Season to taste and reheat gently.

6 Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with dollops of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of snipped fresh chives or serve chilled.

Sweet potato soup with ginger and coconut

Serves 4–6

450g (1lb) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 leek, finely chopped

1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and halved

½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp freshly grated root ginger

1.2 litres (2 pints) chicken or vegetable stock

1 tbsp tomato purée

250ml (9fl oz) coconut milk

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

toasted pumpkin seeds, to garnish

Fresh basil leaves, coriander or fresh fennel fronds (pictured), to garnish

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).

2 Place the sweet potatoes in a baking tin. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the oil and roast for 20–30 minutes, until tender. Set aside.

3 Heat the remaining oil in a large pan. Add the onion, leek, lemongrass, chilli and ginger and sweat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4 Add the reserved roasted sweet potatoes with the stock and tomato purée, then bring to the boil, stirring.

5 Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the liquid has slightly reduced and all the vegetables are completely tender.

6 Pour the coconut milk into the pan and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Season to taste.

7 Remove the pieces of lemongrass, then blitz with a hand blender until smooth.

8 Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and scatter over the toasted pumpkin seeds.

9 Tear the basil leaves into small pieces to use as a garnish. Serve immediately. CL